“That doesn’t necessarily mean a thing. We all go through dry patches.”
He scoffed. “It means something, Vi. It means there’s something between us that was missing with all the other women I tried dating.”
“Oh please.”
He just looked at her. Fuck he was gorgeous. Alex Stuart made every other male she’d slept with fade to insignificance. She could barely remember names, let alone faces.
“It’s the truth. My libido had been on a hell of a long vacation until you came along. Now, God, just the thought of you gets me hard. Just you.”
“I don’t have a magic *, Alex.”
“I disagree.”
She huffed out a laugh. “You’re crazy.”
The side of his mouth curled up and whoa. Her stomach dropped and her sex throbbed. She was doomed. She needed to get a handle on this situation before it took complete control of her. God, this couldn’t happen again. Time to remember her job, her life, her something or other of utmost importance preventing her from jumping him. But it seemed impossible to remember it all exactly when he looked at her like that. The good girl needed to prevail. This had to happen.
So she opened her mouth and said the worst first thing to come to mind. “So what’s your ex-wife like? Let me guess, like the cute little thing who tried to deck you the other day?”
His gaze narrowed on her. The fire appeared to subside some, but not entirely. “Vi, I’m sorry about calling you Jane. I really am. But let’s not lie to each other. She has nothing to do with what’s between us here and now.”
“There’s nothing between us, Alex. I work under you.”
Suddenly, the light in his eyes roared anew and she realized just how her words could be taken by a dirty mind.
She backpedaled fast. “Not, well, not under you, exactly—”
“Because you were on top, right?”
The bottle of gin trembled in her hand. “I didn’t mean—”
“To bring sex back into it?”
“Yes. No. I…”
The bastard grinned at her.
“Stop it.”
“You started it.”
“Fine. Well, I’m stopping it.”
Alex licked his lips. “You started it by bringing up my ex-wife to take a dig at me. As I said, I’m sorry I said her name when we were in bed together. And I’ll apologize to you as often as you like because I feel like a complete asshole about it. But if I’m making you feel cornered, Vi, then keep the hits above the belt. Don’t throw my ex in my face. I’m not perfect. I never claimed to be. That was a shitty situation but it’s over. It has no impact on now or on whatever is going on between us.”
Her mind reeled. As if she could believe him. The anger in his voice at the mention of what’s-her-face was clear. The far wall held her enthralled for the longest time. She couldn’t face him. The nastiest feeling crept through her. Shame, perhaps. Or worse, fear.
“Look at me,” he said.
Not a chance. She stared at her hands, clasped in her lap. “If what you say is true then I’m the first person you’ve slept with since your wife. I’m the rebound girl. The fling. It’s probably quite normal to get a bit overexcited. Doesn’t mean you’re ready to move on necessarily.”
“You’re a therapist now?”
“No,” she said. “But maybe you should see one. I’m sure they’d tell you the same thing. You probably have lots of issues to work through before you should go trying to be in a relationship again. And I can’t afford to just be a passing phase for you, Alex. I know I can’t. Not job wise and not heart wise. So please, let this go.”
Above their heads the music thudded on, the bass line booming through the floor and walls.
“Look at me,” he said again. “Vi.”
“Let it go.”
“Please.”
She was shit at refusing him. Absolutely hopeless.
His beautiful face was sombre, lips edging down. He reached out and trailed a path across her jawline, caressing her. The touch light, tempting. “I can’t let it go.”
“Alex.”
His fingertips continued down her neck, the pace slow and sensual. His touch lit a fire inside her. Took every worry and turned it to ash. Her skin felt damp, feverish. Her nipples were so hard they hurt. He traced the neckline of her dress, moving closer all the while. She was pretty sure she was breathing but there didn’t seem to be any oxygen getting in. Her lungs felt on the verge of collapse. If he didn’t do something soon, she’d hyperventilate or maybe even die.
Then he cocked his head and pressed his lips against hers, breathing life back into her. Kissing her as sweetly as she could wish for.
If she’d been wishing for sweet.
She hadn’t.
The feel of Violet’s tongue in his mouth had Alex moaning. Fuck she was hot. Fiery hot, with her hands fisting his shirt, dragging him closer, pulling him in for the kill. He’d meant to take it slow. He’d meant to take her to dinner, to talk her around gradually. Then get her back into bed, of course. Ignoring her sure as hell hadn’t worked for either of them.
Kissing her blew his mind. She’d been right. They were a bit of a mess together. Hot, wet and unending. Coming up for air never crossed his mind.
The stroke of her tongue was perfection. He filled one hand with her hip, fingers rubbing at the fabric of her silky dress and the soft flesh beneath. Thank fuck she’d worn this dress and not one of those tight skirts. It meant getting closer wasn’t so hard. Vi pulled him down on top of her and he kind of maneuvered her to get her underneath him. Together they made a wonderful team. Their mouths remained sealed all the while. His shirt would never be the same, the way she tugged on it. Her knee bumped his belly in passing, but never mind, all good. He’d gotten between her thighs where he belonged.